Make next 10 yrs decade of India: Goyal to pharma firms

The past few years have been a golden period for health care, and the industry should strive to make the next 10 years “the decade of India”, said Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal on Thursday.

Till 2030, the entire world should be driven by Indian quality standards, regulatory processes, and manufacturing practices, he said at the International Conference on Pharmaceuticals and Medical organised by industry body Ficci.

Coining a new acronym, he said the world today needs CURE — Cost-effective Universal solutions through Research and Enterprise. “If we take it upon ourselves that India is going to cure the world, I see no limitations in our ability to aspire to become a world dominant leader in the field of medtech, pharmaceuticals, medical devices, and health care providers.”

The country would always be indebted to the Indian pharma industry, often called the pharmacy of the world, for its contribution in fighting the Covid-19 pandemic, Goyal said. The three Vs that the industry has provided to the world, and to India — ventilators, vaccines, and the Vshaped recovery in India’s economy — are reflective of the industry’s strength.

WTO waiver for easy vaccine access

Goyal said India’s proposal at the World Trade Organization (WTO) for trade-related aspects of intellectual property rights waiver to allow more countries to get equitable access to Covid-19 vaccine is getting support from other nations. India along with South Africa had introduced a proposal in October 2020 for waiving the intellectual property rights regime so that more countries get equitable access to medicines, Goyal said.